The Smith County Owls traveled to Smithville Monday night in a makeup game delayed because of last Thursday’s excessive heat. In perhaps the best offensive and defensive showing of the year, three big plays for the Owls was the difference in an otherwise exciting game for the Saints Monday night.

The first big play came quickly as the Saints muffed the opening kickoff, turning the ball over on their own 36-yard line.  One play later the Owls scored on a 36-yard run and then converted on the two-point conversion to go up by 8, just 13 seconds into the contest.

DeKalb was shell shocked offensively on its first drive and was forced to punt the ball away, setting up the next Smith County strike.  After downing the ball on their own 34-yard line, the Owls gashed DeKalb for another long score, running the ball 66 yards in one play to add to the Owl lead.  Again, the two-point conversion was good and suddenly the Saints found themselves down, 16-0 midway through the first quarter.

DeKalb would fumble on its next possession, but the Saints’ defense would finally find itself on the Owls’ next drive.  After forcing a three and out, Eli Jones would block the punt and Preston Taylor would recover the ball on the Owl 3-yard line.  The Owl defense held on a terrific goal line stand and the Saints would turn the ball over on downs deep in Owl territory.

Reed Midgett would intercept the Owl’s next pass and this time the Saints’ offense wouldn’t be denied.  Quarterback Collin Donnell would run the ball in four plays later and the Saints would narrow the Owl lead to 16-6, giving the Saints momentum going into the break.

That momentum would quickly evaporate as the Saints would give up their third big play of the evening on the ensuing kickoff, as the Owls returned the ball to the Saints 7-yard line.  One play later, Smith County would score again to increase their lead to 22-6.

Dominic Williamson would return the favor for DeKalb on the next kick, returning the ball to the Owl 34-yard line and setting the Saints up for what would prove to be their most impressive drive of the night.  Led by runs from Donnell and Williamson, and aided by big catches from Carson Davis and Cooper Odom, Donnell would score again from 1 yard out.  This time the two-point conversion was good and DeKalb was within one score, 22-14 going into the final stanza.

The Red and Blue Defense would force another Owl punt on Smith County’s next drive setting up the Saints for a potential game tying drive.

After being set back by a holding penalty, Hayden Quarles found Preston Cantrell on a 28-yard strike on fourth down to keep the Saints drive alive with just over 3:00 left on the clock.  After another costly holding penalty set the Saints back, the Saints couldn’t punch the ball in on fourth down and the Owls were able to run the rest of the clock out, escaping with a win, 22-14.